Home for the Holidays!

The Budget Doctor’s Advice on Holiday Reflection

Happy holidays! We often wish happy holidays to people but, except for children, holidays are seldom happier than other days. The key to happy holidays is being happy with what you have. Today, that can mean just having a home. With foreclosure and eviction rates high, it is good just having a home for the holidays. It may be even better if we can afford a turkey, and better yet if there is a present, but that really is icing on the cake (or nutmeg on the eggnog). Many people are homeless and living in cars or shelters or a friend’s basement. Those of us with homes have something to be happy about.

Of course the key to having a home is often having a job. As unemployment remains extraordinarily high, those of us with jobs need to be happy for that. A job means we are contributing to society and caring for ourselves and perhaps for others. That is a lot to be happy about!

If we have someone to share the holidays with, we have even more to be happy about. Relationships are at least as important as jobs and homes so having all three of them should mean great happiness any time of the year. Having all three probably means doing better than 20% of Americans who lack one or more.

Most of us will buy that turkey without a second thought (but do check prices) and most of us will buy or make and get at least one present. That means we do have a lot to be happy about.

Holidays are a time for self-pity for many people. There are never enough gifts. Finding time and money for shopping is stressful. Memories of past holidays are painful. The economic downturn is depressing and optimism hardly seems warranted. Still, wishing someone happy holidays is a good way to remind them (and ourselves) that we probably do have a lot to be happy about.

Here are a few reminders about making holidays happy:

1. Happiness is a state of mind. If you are unhappy, that is a choice. You can choose to be happy.

2. You can’t buy happiness. If you had more money you might feel more secure, but that isn't happiness. Spending more than you can afford will almost certainly make you less happy.

3. You probably have a lot to be happy about. Do you have a home? A job? Loved ones? A support group of some kind? A faith or philosophy that gives you peace? Maybe an athletic team that had a great season or a new television show you look forward to? Perhaps a really good credit counselor or other advisor that is helping you to get your life together? Think about what you have that makes you happy.

4. If you can’t find happiness, get help. If you never feel happy you may be suffering from depression. If you can’t identify one thing that could make you happy you have a serious problem. Call a social worker or clergy person in your community and ask for a referral. There should be a source of help even if you can’t pay. Holidays may not make you break out in song, but if you work at it hard enough, you should be able to find happiness just being home for the holidays.